Staff Member

On September 1st 2013, Valve's Jira database was momentarily made accessible to the general public once again, much to the delight of users over at the Steam Powered User Forums and Neogaf. The project management and bug tracking software was previously left accessible back in late June 2013, which resulted in an extremely infamous incident which confirmed the development of several unannounced Valve projects including Half-Life 3, Left 4 Dead 3, Source 2, and much more.

The updated database only features several new groups, most of which appear to be related to recreational activities or miscellaneous traits. However, some existing groups highlighted during the previous incident have once again been brought to light as the Half-Life 3, Left 4 Dead 3, and Source 2 groups seem to have grown substantially in size, with far more employees focusing their attention on each of these projects. In regards to Left 4 Dead 3, we now understand that Emily Ridgway, Valve's new musical composer, is working along fan favourite Valve composer Mike Morasky (Team Fortress 2, Portal 2) to create an original soundtrack for the upcoming game. Composer Kelly Bailey (Half-Life, Half-Life 2) previously left Valve a number of years ago, but has since returned to the company as he is currently listed on a number of projects, including both Left 4 Dead 3 and Half-Life 3. Whether or not Kelly is actually working on the soundtrack for Left 4 Dead 3 remains to be seen.​

Several other key designers who have appeared on the Left 4 Dead 3 list include Josh Weier, one of Portal 2's lead designers, and Doug Church, a prominent developer who has previously worked on a number of high profile games including the System Shock, Ultima, Thief, and Deus Ex series. Overall, our staff team are extremely happy with both the quantity and quality of the talented developers currently listed in the project's mailing group. ​

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In regards to Half-Life 3, we mentioned in our last post that the group was substantially smaller than the Left 4 Dead 3 team, as the Left 4 Dead 3 project featured numerous different groups with a variety of purposes and a huge number of employees. However, the Half-Life 3 project appears to be gaining momentum, as the list now features an additional "Half-Life 3 Core" group, which is listed alongside the previously available "Half-Life 3" group. The project groups has also gained many more developers over the past few months, which highlights how the project is continually growing and attracting more of Valve's workforce to the development.

We should once again remind everyone that Half-Life 3 will more than likely not be seen or announced anytime soon, and we feel it is far more likely we will see Left 4 Dead 3 appear on the Source 2 engine before Valve are ready to talk about the third main installment in the Half-Life series. While the Source 2 groups have also expanded with a number of newly hired developers and prominent engineers, there is little else to discuss regarding the project at this time. You can check out the full list of all developers involved with Half-Life 3 and Left 4 Dead 3, and you can find all of the engineers involved with Source 2 here. The list has been slightly edited to remove all employee emails. As always, we'll be sure to keep you posted regarding the future of Valve and any of their upcoming projects.

If HL3 core development just has been initiated now and this correlates to the real production status, ... No. That is impossible. Valve's reputation in being a curious game development company would be totally trashed!

In my opinion, this is unfortunate news. It's too bad that we're going to get a third L4D before we get another Half-Life. I wonder why Left 4 Dead was decided to be a higher priority. It's not like HL fans have been tearing their hair out for the past 5 years or anything like that. /sarcasm

What I want to know is why does this whole thing with Jira keep happening? The first time, it was a mistake. What is Valve doing that is causing them to make the same mistake only a few months later?

ValveTime sounds as if it's trying to trick itself into getting hyped up. What they do to their own mental states is their business, but they shouldn't be inflicting it on their readers.

They claim Half-Life 3 development team has undergone a "substantial increase" in numbers and is "picking up momentum" and sucking in many developers. Um. No it isn't? It's gone from 42 people to 45, and virtually all of those people are also listed as working on L4D3 (which by my count has 72 staff, up from 68 last time).

The only message that can be rationally drawn from this is that things are basically the same as last time. L4D3 is in full development, whilst HL3 is still not Valve's primary focus.

The most optimistic spin I can put on this is that Valve sorted out most of HL3's design over the last 9 years since HL2 (or 7 years counting from when Ep3 development started), and is now just steadily implementing it on Source 2, getting ready to release it concurrent with L4D3 as a Steam Machine launch title.

The fact they haven't applied for the L4D3 trademark yet (I don't think?) might be a small glimmer of hope that HL3 could take precedence.

After all these years though, I'm hardly naive enough to expect anything other than the pessimistic view. Which is that they think L4D3 is going to be enough to launch the Steam Machine, and that they're still not working properly on HL3, possibly intending to release it a year or two into the life of their console.

If that's the case I think it's disgusting, and I hope reality hits them and their wallets hard when the Steam Machine flops without a killer app.

In my opinion, this is unfortunate news. It's too bad that we're going to get a third L4D before we get another Half-Life. I wonder why Left 4 Dead was decided to be a higher priority. It's not like HL fans have been tearing their hair out for the past 5 years or anything like that. /sarcasm

What I want to know is why does this whole thing with Jira keep happening? The first time, it was a mistake. What is Valve doing that is causing them to make the same mistake only a few months later?

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I just want to point out that the mention of l4d3 coming out before hl3 was an opinion that was based on no evidence or facts so it still is unknown whether l4d3 or hl3 will come first. (In my opinion I think there may be a second orange box but once again no evidence on this)

P.S. I would really would like for the article writers on this site not to put opinions on their articles as a lot of people look to this website for credible information about valve and for confirmation about rumors so when you put opinions on here know that people might look on that as fact and that info may spread across the web.

I would also advocate for the same features on the comment sections as there are in the forums or for forums that are about the same topic that is in a article not to be redirected to the article as that limits the amount of functions we have in the discussion

In my opinion, this is unfortunate news. It's too bad that we're going to get a third L4D before we get another Half-Life. I wonder why Left 4 Dead was decided to be a higher priority.

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I think priority is the wrong word. I seriously doubt there was ever a meeting where they decided L4D was more important, and that Half-Life would have to wait for it's turn.

One plausible reason that could exist for L4D3 being the first title to use Source 2 is testing. A multiplayer game is much easier to release in an unfinished beta state. If Source 2 really is a significant new technology then it may be they want to do a public beta to bed it in.

Staff Member

After all these years though, I'm hardly naive enough to expect anything other than the pessimistic view. Which is that they think L4D3 is going to be enough to launch the Steam Machine, and that they're still not working properly on HL3, possibly intending to release it a year or two into the life of their console.

If that's the case I think it's disgusting, and I hope reality hits them and their wallets hard when the Steam Machine flops without a killer app.

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The problem you seem to have is that you're applying older practices to something which is intended to fill a void. You're applying the concept of traditional console launches to that of a modified and focused open-source PC system with a massive existing library of games. Steam Machines and the SteamOS aren't new consoles or totally new PCs, they are simply an extension of the Steam client and the existing brand.

If Steam Machines fail, for whatever reason, it will have nothing to do with lacking a "killer app", since Steam itself IS the "killer app". Steam launched back in 2003 and, until the launch of CS:S and HL2 in 2004, it had no such concept of a "killer app". Look at where we are ten years down the line.

Basically every analyst has reached the same conclusion; the Steam Machine will need a very exciting, impressive game if it is to convince anybody outside of its natural niche.

It may not be a traditional console, but that's what it's competing with, and those are the people it's trying to convert. If the SteamBox is just a PC with an operating system that can't play most PC games, anybody can see that it's not going to achieve what Valve want it to. It needs games, and impressive ones.

Staff Member

Basically every analyst has reached the same conclusion; the Steam Machine will need a very exciting, impressive game if it is to convince anybody outside of its natural niche.

It may not be a traditional console, but that's what it's competing with, and those are the people it's trying to convert. If the SteamBox is just a PC with an operating system that can't play most PC games, anybody can see that it's not going to achieve what Valve want it to. It needs games, and impressive ones.

I wouldn't be surprised if they have hl3 as a (near)release day game for their Steam Machine, but it sure as shit won't be "Steam Machine exclusive." That'd be beyond retarded, and not at all in line with any decision Valve has ever made.

Steam came out in 2002 with no big game release to push it for a few years. Still became the most successful digital distribution system ever made. Same thing can happen with Steam Machine. Just like when Steam first came out, nobody else is trying to do what Valve is trying to do with it, so as long as there is value in the SteamOS and in the Steam Machines, over time it could catch on just as much as Steam has regardless of any big name games from Valve. They already mentioned serious third party support, so its going to have a fair library to begin with, and the more that grows, the more success it will see. Again, just like with Steam.

ValveTime sounds as if it's trying to trick itself into getting hyped up. What they do to their own mental states is their business, but they shouldn't be inflicting it on their readers.

They claim Half-Life 3 development team has undergone a "substantial increase" in numbers and is "picking up momentum" and sucking in many developers. Um. No it isn't? It's gone from 42 people to 45, and virtually all of those people are also listed as working on L4D3 (which by my count has 72 staff, up from 68 last time).

The only message that can be rationally drawn from this is that things are basically the same as last time. L4D3 is in full development, whilst HL3 is still not Valve's primary focus.

The most optimistic spin I can put on this is that Valve sorted out most of HL3's design over the last 9 years since HL2 (or 7 years counting from when Ep3 development started), and is now just steadily implementing it on Source 2, getting ready to release it concurrent with L4D3 as a Steam Machine launch title.

The fact they haven't applied for the L4D3 trademark yet (I don't think?) might be a small glimmer of hope that HL3 could take precedence.

After all these years though, I'm hardly naive enough to expect anything other than the pessimistic view. Which is that they think L4D3 is going to be enough to launch the Steam Machine, and that they're still not working properly on HL3, possibly intending to release it a year or two into the life of their console.

If that's the case I think it's disgusting, and I hope reality hits them and their wallets hard when the Steam Machine flops without a killer app.

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so valve time should just stop doing it's job? you know to report on valve related news. and this is a significant development, they wouldn't start making the music if the level design wasn't somewhat solidified with how levels would flow and how the story progress.

also, maybe the reason L4D3 has more devs is, oh I dunno, the levels have to be a hell of a lot bigger to accommodate mandatory co-op throughout the entire game, and having to fit zombies everyware.

Staff Member

Valve doesn't need a killer app for the SteamOS to succeed... They need several. But they're already aware of that fact. They said "Watch for announcements in the coming weeks about all the AAA titles coming natively to SteamOS in 2014" (http://store.steampowered.com/livingroom/SteamOS/).

Bottom line, though, is that they have to build momentum. They have to get more and more game developers and companies, like nVidia, AMD, and Intel, on board with SteamOS/Linux. And then that should get more and more gamers on the operating system. Then SteamOS can achieve great software support (games, drivers, tools, apps). It's going to be interesting to watch, and we'll see if Valve really can gin up the initial charge of energy to get this going.

Just as an incentive for people to try out Steam Machines, I can imagine Valve offering some sort of discount on their next game with the purchase of a Steam Machine. Maybe the next game could even be free with a Steam Machine, but that might be a stretch.

It definitely won't be any kind of exclusive, though. By the very nature of SteamOS and Steam Machines, the idea of an "exclusive" title is just about impossible.

Please stop saying "steam machine exclusive". Just no. The point of steamOS and the steam machine is openness. If there is any exclusivity it would be a PC exclusive and that would be sufficient. A console gamer probably wouldn't have a pc and see a steam machine as a viable alternative to getting a gaming computer(even though a steam machine would be a gaming pc). And that's how the steam machine would get its momentum in the living room.

YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES. First time its a mistake, second time its a pattern. This Jira thing is TOTALY teasing, since this time there were very few things changed, INCLUDING HL3 CORE and more hl3 devs. This is plain teasing. I had lost hope for a while but now that I have my hope again, it just hurts ;_;

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In March of 2003, a mystic crowbar appeared in Edge magazine, signifying that a long-awaited sequel to Half-Life was approaching. Munro formed this site almost immediately, as a place for people to share every snippet of information available about the upcoming sequel, as well as discuss it with other fans of the series.